Saturday, June 07, 2003

YEH HAI PUNE MERI JAAN

I just came to know of something that happened in Pune last week that makes me love my city even more and justifies the fanatical obsession all of us Punekars have with it. I tried to search for the link of this news, but did not find it on Times. If I can get it on some other newspaper, I'll post it later.

Some days back, a girl named Tejal had gone to study somewhere near (or in) BMCC. She was returning from there alone at 11 p.m. on a bike when she saw a guy lying on the street. He had obviously had an accident and had injuries in the head. So this girl stopped and decided to help him, even though it was so late at night and she was all alone. There is a phone number in Pune - 105 owned by the 'Heart Brigade' of the Dinanath Mangeshkar Hospital, which is dedicated to trauma are. She used her mobile to dial 105 and let them know about the accident. Then she stopped a few passing vehicles and made them all train their spotlights on the injured guy so she could administer first aid on him.

Within a few minutes the heart brigade arrived and took him to the hospital. He was treated promptly and that is why his life was saved.

Big applause for Tejal who showed great presence of mind and acetd like a model citizen. Also big applause for a city where a girl travelling alone on a bike so late at night can stop and help people on hr own without worrying too much about her safety. And an even bigger applause for the Dinanath Mangeshkar Hospital, which in a short span of just one year proved what a gerat boon it is to the residents of Pune. Most affordable fees, best facilities, trauma care....and many other initiatives aimed at helping people rather than minting money, like it is for some hospitals.